In a recent education committee hearing, four care-experienced young people shared personal insights about their lives, emphasizing the critical nature of social care. They articulated the emotional difficulties stemming from disconnection and the importance of nurturing relationships with supportive adults. This included discussions about institutional gaps in service, particularly between mental health services for children and adults, and the necessity of maintaining sibling connections. Additionally, there were calls for increased support and allowances for kinship carers, amid wider concerns about budgetary constraints affecting social care services as a result of rising poverty driven by austerity.
One young woman said her independent visitor, a voluntary role, was a key person in her life, emphasizing the importance of sustained relationships.
The young people described painful feelings of disconnection, highlighting the gap between children's and adult mental health services.
Advocates are disappointed that new allowances for kinship care are not included in the children’s bill currently making its way through parliament.
Poverty, driven by austerity, is a key reason for the rising tide of need, pushing councils to spend £7 billion on looked-after children.
Collection
[
|
...
]